That thinking had me reflect back many years to when I was in congregational setting ministry. It became (and perhaps still is) about numbers...numbers...numbers... I recall clergywomen (why, O, why can't women be confident enough to lead from a more woman's point of view...) would keep track of every new church appointment given to a female clergy and go to the bookmarked section of the Annual Conference journal and look at: congregational size, average attendance at worship, salary. No shocker, bitterness ensued, nastiness, cutthroat competition instead of community among the clergywomen who sure could've used the support of women.
I'm not much of a numbers gal and am not readily oohed-and-aahed by them. Truth be told, the only numbers I focus on are jersey numbers.
I've evidenced too many solid congregations measure effectiveness by the number of bottoms in the pews. One congregation where I was pastor had the head usher at the singing of the first hymn walk up the aisle and place the attendance numbers on the board at the front of the sanctuary.
The numbers...numbers...numbers neuroses cause far too many clergy to cease to be prophetic because that type of witness often makes folks uncomfortable and angry and then possibly absent from the pews.
More troubling was asking a newly appointed clergy-person about their congregation and the answer beginning with numbers...numbers...numbers....
I want to know, what's the impact in your community? Do folks know you are there? Are you a place of welcome, safety, support, meeting basic needs of food and shelter?
Have you made people think and, yes, be uncomfortable as one wrestles with how one understands the Divine and this living of the faith?
Have you stood up and stood beside those closest to the pain for the cause of justice...all kinds...all times...all places?
As this Lenten journey continues ponder what is success and ask the biggie question of WHY DO WE DO THIS?
No comments:
Post a Comment